Western

He said P’nyang gas field and all other gas and liquid fields in Western Province must be developed within the province through an “aggregation scheme”.

He added that few gas fields in the province cannot be developed as standalone due to their low resource deposits.

Therefore, he said the proposed aggregation scheme would pave way for the monetization of these stranded gas fields.

“Without this scheme, it is absolutely known that these stranded gas fields won’t and will never go into production,” says Yoto

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato confirmed today that polling in some LLGs in these provinces have been extended.

In Madang, polling in Arabaka Rural LLG and Josephstaal Rural LLG in the Middle Ramu District and Bundi LLG in the Usino Bundi District have requested for an extension.

For Enga, counting has started at most electorates while some LLGs have requested for polling extension.

In Gulf, polling in the remote parts of Kikori District has been extended while polling in Kerema District is complete and counting will commence on Thursday.

They are querying that the 33% equity given to them by the passing of the 10th Supplementary Act and NEC Decision 402/2014 does not mandate the Mineral Resource Development Corporation (MRDC) to manage it.

Representing the landowners of the mine villages, Community leader Nick Bunn said the NEC Decision 402/2014 directed that the 33% should be distributed between the mine villages, Provincial Government and CMCA and nominate their holding companies that will hold the equity on their behalf.

The Western Provincial Assembly elected Biyama on Monday to take up the seat.

The seat for the Governor was left vacant after the court found that then Governor Ati Wobiro was found guilty of misappropriation of funds by the court.

The National Court sentenced Wobiro along with former Western Provincial Administrator Dr Modowa Gumoi, and Fly Care Foundation Inc. boss Norman Carl May to 10 years in prison on Nov 18, 2016.

The North Fly MP Boka Kondra was also suspended by the Leadership Tribunal awaiting his court hearing.

Students stood along the town road with provincial flags, flowers and tears flowed as their leaders’ casket  was driven through the town to the Provincial Assembly hall.

Minister for Finance James Marape, Public Service Minister Sir Puka Temu and acting Speaker of Parliament and Maprik MP John Simon accompanied the body.

A funeral service was held in the assembly hall in remembrance of the late MP before a guard of honour by the PNGDF.

“We are in the process of finalizing the 33.33% equity sharing splits through the proposed Community Consultative and Awareness Program which will take two months to complete.

He said after the awareness, they will have to formally deliberate and endorsed by the Provincial Council Assembly and the PEC before it is submitted to NEC for deliberations.

Ganasi said as leaders they would like to see that the benefits flow to the people so they are empowered to make decisions over their own resources.

The Committee launched the awareness campaign on Oct 7 in Western Province.

The program will start today, Oct 11 with a series of meetings with leaders, councilors, women leaders and village planning committees before the actual awareness program to the CMCA and Non CMCA areas within the North, Middle and South Fly Region.

Chairman of the Steering Committee and acting North Fly District Administrator Dume Woo said the community awareness program will cover the North, Middle and South Fly regions.

President of Ok Tedi Mine Impacted Area Association (OTMIAA) Nick Bunn on behalf of the people of Western Province thanked the Government for the 33% direct shareholder holding in Ok Tedi Mine and says the shares will empower the people of Western to participate in the Ok Tedi Board and make decisions for its people.

“We would like to see decisions are made at the ward levels on how this funds are used for development purposes in the village and ward level.”

He said the province needs each and everyone in the province to develop and grow the province.

"Unity is my main concern in the province.

"Leaders won't develop the province themselves but needed each and every effort from the public servants to develop and get the province to the next level," he said.

He added that the province have so far experiencing some developments infrastructure in the province but needed team work and unity to drive the development.

The province went into a frenzy on Wednesday after the confrontation by police and the University of Papua New Guinea students in Port Moresby.

People took advantage of the situation, destroying public buildings and property in the town areas. Public transportation was stopped due to owners fearing the destruction of their vehicles. Shopping centres were on a lockdown as well.

Air Niugini flights into the province was also cancelled.